


Golden Days

by brooklynapple



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Diplomacy, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Multi, Polyamory, Threesome - F/F/M, marianne and claude fall in love and save the world, marianne has two hands and a big heart, marihilclaude, sex with lots of feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:42:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brooklynapple/pseuds/brooklynapple
Summary: This fic expands on Marianne and Claude’s paired ending with a polyship twist - when Marianne and Claude fall in love during political negotiations between Fodlan and Almyra, they are both already happily involved with Hilda. This is the warm and fuzzy poly story that they all deserve.
Relationships: Marianne von Edmund/Claude von Riegan, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32
Collections: FE3H Polyship Week, Marianne Birthday 2020





	Golden Days

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the #celebratemarianne birthday event as well as a late entry to FE3H polyship week 2020! I adore this OT3 and love Marianne and Claude’s paired ending where they fall in love and save the world through diplomacy, so I thought I’d take a stab at fleshing out that story.

The days were getting shorter, and the nights longer. A distinct chill had crept into the air, especially at night. Edmund territory wasn’t the northernmost territory in Fodlan, but it was the northernmost in the Alliance, and fall and winter’s chill fell heavier on it than other places in Leicester. Not that Marianne minded, not one bit. Fall meant the harvest festival, with crisp apples and mulled cider. It meant watching the leaves change color in the woods near Edmund manor on her morning rides with Dorte, and snuggling with her wife under cozy blankets at night near a warm fire.

Hilda, accustomed to the more temperate clime further south in Goneril territory, had complained at first, but soon adapted with fabulous scarves, cloaks and other extremely fashionable and expensive wardrobe items. Marianne also suspected that Hilda enjoyed the snuggling at least as much as she did, even on the coldest days. 

This fall they also had one more thing to look forward to - Claude would be visiting from Almyra for the first time in a while. 

“I know you and Claude will be busy during the day with very important and very boring political work, but can I steal some time with him at night, after we all have dinner together? It’s been way too long since I had him to myself.” Hilda stood in front of their bedroom mirror on the eve before Claude’s arrival, evaluating and rejecting an entire closet’s worth of outfits.

“Of course, take as much of his time as you’d like at night, but you’re right that I’ll need most of his time during the day for this peace treaty. You know how important this is - it could bring an end to years of hostility between our countries. Your brother could finally retire to the life of leisure he always wanted.” Marianne sat on their bed brushing out her hair and watching her wife with fond amusement.

“Fiiiiine, I’ll try not to keep him up  _ too _ late so that he’s actually awake to talk politics with you. I may not find all of the details super exciting, but I’m very proud of you both for making this treaty a reality. It wasn’t that long ago that peace between Fodlan and Almyra was a distant dream. And now it feels so close!” 

Marianne smiled. Even after all this time, Hilda’s praise never failed to warm her heart. In the five years since the war’s conclusion she had discovered a passion and aptitude for politics under the tutelage of her adoptive father, who had recently stepped aside and officially passed the House and title of Margravine over to her.

She was now one of the leading voices on the Roundtable that governed the Alliance and much of Fodlan. It was therefore unsurprising that her dear friend Claude, the dashing and accomplished new king of Almyra, turned first to her to broach the subject of brokering an official peace treaty between their two countries. 

Claude -  _ Khalid _ , she reminded herself, at least when it came to official diplomatic exchanges - had visited them in Edmund territory several times since his official ascension to the Almyran throne. He was never able to stay long, but he always found some time to spend with the two of them - especially Hilda, as the two of them had enjoyed an on-again, off-again relationship since their student days. When things became serious between Marianne and Hilda during the war, Hilda had assumed that she would have to break things off with Claude, but Marianne saw no reason why Hilda should have to stop doing something that clearly made both her and Claude happy. 

The arrangement continued even after she and Hilda married shortly after the war’s conclusion, and they both looked forward to Claude’s visits - Hilda for the gossip and sex, and Marianne for the stimulating political converstion. It worked well for all three of them.

************** 

Claude arrived in the mid-morning of the following day, which thankfully had dawned sunny and bright. Once he and his minimal retinue had settled in, Marianne invited him to join her and Hilda for lunch in the airy, spacious solar overlooking the house’s gardens. 

“Marianne, Hilda, it’s been far too long!” Claude grabbed Hilda in an enormous hug and spun her around, laughing. The hug he gave Marianne was slightly more restrained but no less affectionate. They had long ago told Claude to make himself at home at Edmund Manor since his visits were so frequent, and Marianne was happy to see him dispense with formalities and do just that.

“Claude, it’s so good to see you again,” she said with a warm smile. “I hope you had a safe and pleasant journey from Almyra. The weather these past few days has been glorious for riding.”

“It really has been, and yes, the journey was completely uneventful. I know you prefer horses, Marianne, but the view from the back of a wyvern on these perfect fall days never gets old. If we have time maybe the three of us can go for a quick flight along the coast while I’m here.”

“Ooh yes, that sounds amazing!” Hilda enthused, grabbing Claude’s hand and leading him over to the table. “Though to hear Mari talk you two may need every minute you can get to put this treaty together. She even had all of the books and papers brought here so you could get started right away. But first, some lunch is definitely in order!” She reached for a teapot in the middle of the table and began pouring tea for the three of them.

Marianne glanced at Claude apologetically. “I don’t mean to mix business and pleasure, but this room gets the best light in the house, so I thought we might as well work here after we have some refreshment. I hope you don’t mind!”

“Not at all,” Claude assured her. “This treaty is of vital importance to both of our countries. And if we do a good enough job with it, perhaps my next visit can be purely social, with nothing but wyvern rides and sumptuous feasts.”

“I’m going to hold you to that promise, Mister Leader Man,” Hilda said, jabbing her finger in Claude’s direction. 

“The treaty can certainly wait until after lunch,” Mariane said. “It really has been far too long since we’ve caught up. How have you been, Claude? Not too much of note has happened with us since you were here last, but there are a few bits of minor news we can share.”

“Look out, she’s going to tell you about every single new baby animal that’s been born on the manor since your last visit,” Hilda said fondly. “Now’s your last chance to escape.”

They all laughed, and spent the rest of their meal catching up on the past six months and reminiscing about fond memories from their student days. A delightful hour passed all too quickly, and as the last of the dishes were cleared from the table, Hilda sighed and reluctantly stood.

“All right, I’ll leave you two to your politics, but I’ll be back tonight, and you’d better not keep me waiting too long at dinner! You know how grumpy I can get when I don’t get enough attention from my two favorite people!” She gave each of them a kiss on the cheek and skipped out the door.

Claude watched her go with a soft smile. “You know, if you’d asked me back when we were students to guess what Hilda’s type was, I never would have picked ‘people who are drawn to politics’, yet here we are.”

Marianne giggled. “It’s true, she’s full of surprises. And not nearly as disinterested in world affairs as she pretends to be. You should see how she grills me when I come back from Roundtable meetings.”

“She’s definitely the only girl I know whose idea of foreplay includes sly questions about Almyran politics.” His cheeks colored slightly and he cleared his throat. “I hope that wasn’t too much information.”

“Not at all,” Marianne chuckled. “You make her very happy, and I’m glad for that. She misses you dreadfully in between visits, you know, even if she’d never admit it.”

“I wish I could visit more often, but all of this-” he gestured at the pile of books and papers, “takes up so much time, as I know you understand.”

“I certainly do. I know you come as often as you can. And in the meantime, Hilda will just have to settle for getting her political gossip and foreplay from me.” Marianne permitted herself a small, smug grin.

“I can’t imagine she has any complaints about that.” Claude grinned back. “She has impeccable taste.” 

“I couldn’t agree more.” They smiled at each other across the table, treaties momentarily forgotten.

Their meetings over the next few days were long and intense as they both worked hard to hammer out the details of what would be a groundbreaking agreement between Fodlan and Almyra if they could each get their respective countries to accept it. 

Some of the issues were particularly thorny, and despite their friendly relationship they more than once exchanged sharp words on topics such as reparations for war atrocities and how to resolve claims to politically contested areas. In one especially tense moment they had to call Hilda into the room to see if the Gonerils would give up some long-disputed territory on the other side of Fodlan’s locket that the family had held for generations.

Yet despite the occasionally flaring tempers and hotly debated topics, they found themselves nearing an agreement that they both felt they could proudly stand behind. And something else was happening in the room as well, so subtle that neither of them realized it at first. 

Sometime around the second day of negotiations Marianne began to notice that Claude smiled more often and made eye contact a bit more, though she thought it was her imagination at first. Stranger still, she found herself growing warm and blushing whenever he praised one of her ideas or complemented a particularly astute observation. She had always admired and respected Claude as both a friend and a formidable politician, and the fact that he thought highly of her political ability had always meant a lot to her, but somehow it felt different this time. 

At some point during the third day of negotiations, Marianne realized that she was tailoring her proposals with Claude’s reaction in mind, hoping to earn his approval. She chided herself for allowing her friendship with Claude to affect her politics, when she knew she needed to put the interests of Fodlan ahead of her own personal interests. But what  _ were _ her interests, exactly? Negotiating with Claude had never felt like this before. 

Then Claude made a startling proposal of his own.

“Regarding the joint patrols at the border, I know my current proposal slightly favors Almyra in terms of the number of troops on each side, but hear me out. What if House Goneril was allowed to keep holding the territory beyond the Throat, so that all the patrols happen on the Almyran side?”

Marianne looked up from her papers, startled. “Khalid, that’s...that’s an enormous concession on your part. Would Almyra truly accept such an arrangement? It would render all of the other border management questions trivial from Fodlan’s perspective. We would agree to it without question.”

“My people might take some convincing, but I could get them to come around. And I know how much it would mean to Hilda. And to you.” He gently put his hand over Marianne’s.

Marianne blushed and looked back down at her papers, but didn’t withdraw her hand. Perhaps she wasn’t the only one negotiating with personal interests in mind.

With an agreement so close, Marianne and Claude worked late into the night to iron out all of the final details. Their words were all business, but if they sat a bit closer than normal, and their gazes and touches lingered a bit longer than necessary? Neither one seemed inclined to interrupt the makings of a truly historic peace agreement to discuss what was happening between them. 

As the candles burned lower and lower, Marianne found herself drowsing off at the table. Claude noticed, perceptive and courteous as he was, and insisted that they call it a night. Marianne feebly tried to object that she was fine and could keep going even as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Then suddenly Claude was carrying her in his strong arms to her bedroom where Hilda was up waiting, her mouth curling in amused surprise at the manner of her wife’s arrival. He set Marianne down gently next to Hilda and turned to go. Hilda and a very groggy Marianne insisted that he stay. 

The last thing Marianne remembered before sliding into blissful slumber was both Hilda and Claude giving her a gentle goodnight kiss on the cheek.

**********

Marianne awoke early, which wasn’t unusual for her. She was often up shortly after dawn to greet the morning birds. On this particular morning, though, it wasn’t birdsong but a different type of noise that woke her up, accompanied by furtive movements next to her in bed.

She cracked her eyes open groggily and turned to see Hilda and Claude entwined together in an embrace. One of Claude’s hands was moving under the covers, and Hilda was doing her best to muffle the noises she made as it worked its magic.

Half asleep as she was, Marianne felt a sudden spike of desire as she realized what was happening. She had never actually seen Hilda and Claude have sex before, though they had offered many times to include her if she wanted. Up until now she had always been perfectly content to let them have alone time together, especially since Hilda didn’t get to see Claude very often.

But this time something felt different. Marianne felt her face heat as she remembered the tension in the air during her negotiations with Claude the day before, and the way Claude had carried her to bed that night. She wasn’t sure exactly when it had happened, but there was definitely some sort of attraction there. And now here she was, lying in bed next to him watching him ravish her wife. The thought made her blush even harder.

Hilda arched into Claude and turned her head to the side so he could kiss her neck. Her gaze fell on Marianne, and she let out a squeak of dismay. 

“Claude stop, we woke her up! Mari, I’m so sorry, we were trying so hard to be quiet. We can go somewhere else so you can keep sleeping, sweetie.”

Claude turned towards her, chagrined. “My apologies, Marianne. It was thoughtless of us.” It might have been her imagination, but it looked like he was blushing as he stammered his apology.

The two of them disentangled and started to get out of bed. Marianne was struck by a profound sense of disappointment, and a realization - she didn’t want them to go. She wanted them to stay in bed with her, naked, and...and what? What exactly did she want here? Did she want them to keep going while she just watched? The thought made her blush and bite her lip,yet she felt like that wasn’t exactly it. 

She didn’t have long to decide, but while these thoughts swirled in her head, her subconscious made the decision for her. Before she even knew what she was doing, she found she had reached out to put a hand on Hilda’s arm.

“Wait. Don’t go. I want you to stay. Both of you.”

Hilda and Claude both paused, halfway out of bed. The curious, hopeful looks on their faces made Marianne’s heart race.

“Sure, we’d be happy to stay, Mari sweetie. What exactly did you have in mind?” Hilda smiled in that special way of hers that managed to look both innocent and wicked.

Once again Marianne’s body acted before her brain caught up. She leaned towards Hilda and gave her a slow, lingering kiss. Then, much to everyone’s surprise, she leaned towards Claude, cupped his jaw in her hand, and pressed her lips to his. 

Claude’s eyes widened in surprise for a fraction of a second, but he recovered quickly and smoothly pulled her in to deepen the kiss.

“Is there something you two want to tell me? It looks like your negotiations are going even better than I thought!” Hilda grinned at them with utter delight, and they both found themselves grinning back.

Claude glanced at Marianne in his arms and then at Hilda. “I’m not sure how it happened, but at some point during negotiations we...we just…”

“Khalid and I seem to have developed a newfound appreciation for each other after working so closely together.” Marianne said matter-of-factly. 

“Is  _ that _ what they’re calling it these days? Well since this ‘newfound appreciation’ seems to have landed you both in bed with me, why don’t we do something about it?” Hilda winked and leaned over to kiss them both. Then she looked at them expectantly.

“Go on, what are you waiting for? That one little kiss can’t be all that you two wanted from each other. Take it from me, you’re both fantastic at making out.”

Marianne and Claude both laughed, and Marianne felt her pulse race again as Claude bent down to kiss her. Kissing Claude was very different from kissing Hilda, with his stubble-covered jaw and scent that she could only describe as  _ Claude,  _ with a hint of cinnamon and Almyran pine. But the giddy feeling that came over her as their kiss deepened was the same, and it only intensified as she felt Hilda’s lips lightly brush the back of her neck.

She leaned into Claude and slid her hands up his broad, muscled chest, finally admitting to herself how much she’d dreamed of doing just that over the past few days. Claude settled his hands at her hips and kissed his way along her jaw and down her neck. She shivered in delight at the sensation of Claude and Hilda both kissing her at once. Warm pulses of desire surged through her with every touch of their lips, and all she could think was how she wanted  _ more _ .

Claude kissed down her chest to the place where her nightgown met the top of her breasts. He nibbled there and looked up at her, eyes full of desire.

“Is it okay if I…?” 

Marianne met his gaze, hoping he could see how much she wanted this. “Yes.  _ Please _ .” 

“Here, let me help,” Hilda murmured. She took hold of Marianne’s nightgown and pulled it over her head.

Marianne blushed hotly as she was laid bare before Claude for the first time. Her embarrassment quickly vanished as Claude trailed his lips down her breast and gently took her nipple into his mouth. Behind her, Hilda pressed naked into her back and continued kissing and caressing her. Marianne’s head swam at the flood of sensations washing over her. 

She moaned softly and reached around to run her hands down Claude’s back. Her hands paused at the small of his back, wanting but not quite daring to go further. She arched into Claude’s touch and gasped out a question. “Claude, can I…?”

Hilda peered over her shoulder and laughed. “Oh you two are so adorable when you’re all shy with each other like this. Go on, grab his ass, I promise he’ll like it.”

Claude raised his head and grinned at Marianne ruefully. “As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right. You can touch wherever you want, sweetheart. I’m all yours.”

Marianne slid her hands lower, cupping his pleasantly firm ass, and a new spike of desire coursed through her as she heard Claude’s tiny gasp. He shifted his hips to push back into her touch and she felt his stiffening cock brush against her thigh. She was suddenly aware of how wet she was, and how very much she wanted him and Hilda and all of this.

Gathering her courage, she reached down and took his cock in her hand, slowly exploring and stroking it. Claude shuddered and groaned. 

“Gods, Marianne, that’s so good…”

“Fuck, you two look so hot,” Hilda murmured in her ear, cupping Marianne’s breasts with both hands and rubbing up against her. 

The three of them writhed together on the bed, blissfully exploring and tasting and caressing each other with Marianne in the middle. She felt Claude’s cock stir under her touch, and moaned as Hilda slid a hand between her legs. 

“Wow, Marianne, you’re soaked. Shall we do something about that?”

Marianne could barely form coherent words, but managed to stammer “yes” as her hips bucked into Hilda’s hand.

Claude kissed his way up her neck and murmured in her ear. “I know this is new. How far did you want to go? Whatever you want is okay.” 

Marianne knew exactly what she wanted but wasn’t sure if she could say it. She was still stroking Claude’s cock, and guided it to slide along her wet folds. “I want...I want you to…” Her attempt at speaking ended in a moan as the head of Claude’s cock nudged her clit.

Hilda came to the rescue again. “She wants you to fuck her, silly, isn’t that obvious? Ooh, I know just how we should do this. Lie on your back, Claude.”

Claude followed Hilda’s instructions, and Marianne let Hilda guide her to straddle his hips while she positioned herself behind Marianne.

“There you go, sweetie. Now you can go at whatever pace you want. This may be your first time with Claude, but I know you have a lot of riding experience.”

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, and Marianne couldn’t help but laugh. She let her eyes roam over Claude’s supine body, taking in every angle and ridge of muscle before her gaze landed on his cock, erect against his stomach with beads of precum at the tip. She bit her lip.

“Quite a sight, isn’t it? Now you know what you’ve been missing out on all this time. Go on.” Hilda nudged her forward, and that was all the encouragement she needed.

Marianne bent forward and braced her hands on Claude’s shoulders, leaning in for a deep, searing kiss. She rubbed herself against Claude’s cock as their tongues slid together and they moaned into each other’s mouths. Then she lifted her hips and guided his cock inside her.

She had done this with Hilda before, using magic to enhance their trusty strap. The sensations were similar, but knowing that this was her first time with Claude made it feel special in a way that she couldn’t quite find words for.

So instead she looked into Claude’s eyes, lips parted as she savored the feeling of fullness from having him inside her. He looked back, taking shuddering breaths. Then he smiled and gently put his hands on her hips.

“Gods you look beautiful. And you feel amazing. Why did we wait so long to do this?”

She smiled back. “I think our timing was perfect.”

“Aww, look at you two.” Marianne didn’t need to see Hilda to know that she was beaming. “So adorably polite and sappy even when you’re fucking. Go ahead, let loose with each other. I can tell how much you both want to.”

Marianne caught Claude’s eye again and quirked her mouth in a wry, questioning smile. He raised his eyebrows and shifted his hips ever so slightly, making her gasp as she felt him move inside her. That was all the answer she needed.

She sat up, leaned back into Hilda, and gripped Claude’s hips with her thighs. Claude was about to find out that Hilda wasn’t wrong about her riding experience. She began to move on his cock, starting slowly at first before settling into a steady, satisfying rhythm that left both of them gasping and moaning.

Hilda held onto her tightly and reached down with one hand to gently stroke her clit, murmuring into her ear the entire time.

“You look unbelievably hot riding Claude like this. Doesn’t his cock feel amazing? Ooh, the three of us are going to have such fun together.”

Marianne felt Claude’s cock swell and twitch inside her and she clenched around him, earning a groan. His grip on her hips tightened and he began to thrust up to meet her each time she sank down on him. Hilda’s fingers continued to dance over her clit, and Marianne closed her eyes and abandoned herself to the delicious sensations of Claude filling her again and again while Hilda brought her ever closer to the brink. 

“That’s it baby, just a little longer. I can tell how close you both are,” Hilda murmured.

Claude cried out and gripped Marianne’s hips tightly, pulling her down on his cock so he could grind into her. Hilda rubbed faster at her clit and Marianne fell completely apart, pulsing around Claude’s cock as her body trembled and shook.

Claude moaned as Marianne’s orgasm drew out his own, and she felt him throb inside her as his hips bucked. Hilda held her from behind the entire time, coaxing her down from her peak with gentle caresses and soft whispers. 

Afterwards it was Claude who held her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her tenderly. It didn’t take Hilda long to join them, cooing in delight over how cute they were. Marianne couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy.

It wasn’t until a while later that the realization hit her, as she lay on the bed watching Hilda writhe and moan with Claude’s head buried between her legs. She had a wife and a lover now, and they could do this any time Claude visited. The thought filled her heart with joy as she thought about how lucky she was to have them both. 

****************

The treaty that Claude and Marianne devised over the course of his visit was hailed in both countries as a breakthrough achievement and a masterful example of statecraft and compromise. For Claude and Marianne it was also a love letter, a testament to their feelings for each other and their unwavering belief in their two countries’ potential for cooperation and harmony.

The day the treaty was signed would be described in the history books for generations afterwards as the beginning of a new, harmonious era in Fodlan and Almyran relations. It was an especially meaningful day for Hilda, Marianne and Claude, who quietly slipped away from the reception following the treaty signing ceremony to celebrate a special occasion of their own.

“Finally! Did you two really have to make boring small talk with every dignitary at the party? The sunset isn’t going to wait for us, you know!” Hilda had practically dragged Claude and Marianne out of the Derdriu capitol building and into the carriage that was waiting to take them to House Edmund’s mansion in the city’s noble quarter.

Marianne smiled fondly at both of them as they made their way through the city streets. Signing the peace treaty into law had been the proudest moment of her political career, yet it was only the second most important thing that would be happening to her today, as this was the day that she and Hilda would be officially welcoming Claude into their family. 

It was an unconventional political and family arrangement, one that had needed a lot of negotiation of its own across borders and with several royal and noble families. But luckily they already had expert negotiators on their side, and the goodwill of two nations behind them. 

The midsummer sun was sinking low in the sky as the three of them alighted from the carriage and were ushered into the sumptuously decorated garden at the rear of the mansion. Soon a few guests would be arriving for their small, private ceremony, mostly close family members and former Golden Deer classmates. But for now, they had a few precious moments to themselves.

Marianne took Hilda and Claude’s hands and led them to a stone patio that overlooked the city and the sparkling ocean beyond it. While Hilda had spent months planning every detail of the ceremony and reception, it was this private moment alone with Hilda and Claude that Marianne had been looking forward to most. She turned to face her partners, feeling an ache in her chest at how beautiful they looked in the golden late-afternoon light.

She didn’t exactly have a speech prepared, but she knew what she wanted to say. “It wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t think I had a future at all. And then I met both of you and you helped me see the kind of person I could be. And now look at us, accomplishing things that no one thought was possible. I never dreamed we could come so far, but I’m so glad that we did, and that we’ll be together for whatever comes next. I love you both and I feel so lucky.”

“Aww, sweetie.” Hilda wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “I love you too, and I’m so proud of both of you. Who knew I would end up with not one but two political big shots? I promise I’ll be the prettiest arm candy Fodlan and Almyra have ever seen!” She winked, and Marianne and Claude both laughed.

“I’m proud of all of us for making this treaty and this family happen,” Claude said. “It took a lot of work, but it was definitely worth it. And I can’t wait for you to visit Almyra so I can give you the grand tour and introduce you to all of my family. My mother in particular keeps asking about both of you.”

“I can’t wait for that either,” Marianne said, her heart near to bursting with joy. “We have so many things to look forward to. And speaking of that, I think I hear the first guests arriving.” 

She turned towards the garden entrance and looked back at them over her shoulder. “Come on - it’s just about time for us to get started.”

**Author's Note:**

> For more wholesome and smutty content with plenty of feels, you can follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/quorniya).


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